Charles rice



Patented lan.. 3|, I899.

0. RICE.

GATE.

(Application filed. Apr. 28, 1898.)

2 Sheets-Shoat I.

(No Model.)

INVENTOI? A rmnwi s.

WITNESSES: ,4 /C /1/7.Q

Patented Jan. 3|, I899. 6. RICE.

G A T E.

(Application filed Apr. 28, 1898.)

2 Sheeis-Sheet (No Model.)

VII/1111111111111 7/11/1111111/11114 21111121111111 //V VE/VTOR ATTORNEYS.

' State of Illinois, have invented a new and vices operated by suitable lever mechanism ATENT FFICE.

CHARLES RICE, OF DURHAM, ILLINOIS.

GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters 1? Application filed Ap i 28, 1898.

T0 on whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES RICE, residing atDurham, in the county of Hancock and Improved Gate, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of swinging gates having latch deprojected to each side of the gateway; and it primarily has for its object to provide a gate of this character of an economical and simple construction, which can be easily manipulated and which will effectively serve forits intended purposes.

This invention also comprehends a novel construction of gate, whereby the end of the gate is adapted to strike against the abutmentposts in such manner as to relieve the latch from undue shock and also admit of a quick and free operation thereof as the gate moves to its open or closed position without danger of breaking or bending it out of shape during ordinary use.

Another object of this invention is to pro vide certain novel and improved latch-operating devices including adjusting means, whereby the action of such latch devices will be rendered positive and uniform during either movement of the gate.

In its subordinate features this invention embodies certain details of construction and peculiar combinations of parts, which will be first described in detail and then specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved gate,the same being shown in its closed position. Fig. 2 is a detail horizontal section thereof,taken practically on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. l, the latch being shown in position to hold the gate open. Fig. 4 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, of the latch-rod operating and adjusting devices hereinafter specifically referred to. Fig. 5 is a crosssection on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail view illustrating the manner of connecting one of the pendent pulls or handles to the lever. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the gate, as shown.

atent No. 618,816, dated January 31, 1899.

serial no. 679,073. (No model.)

shifting latch-bar. Fig. 8 is a detail plan view of one of the operating-levers. Fig. 9

illustrates the shifting-weight devices here-' inafter specified, and Fig. 10 is a cross-section on the line 10 10 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, in which the same numerals and letters indicate like parts in all of the figures, 1 indicates the hinge-post, and 2 and 3 the opening and closing abutment-posts, disposed at right angles to the hinge-post in the usual manner.

The gate proper, which in practice is preferably eleven feet long, is a rectangular frame formed of gas-pipe sections 6, 6 and 7. The three parallel horizontal sections are marked 6, the vertical end sections 6 and 6 and the intermediate vertical sections are marked 7. These are all connected by T-joints 8, 8, 9, and 11, and double T-couplings 9 and curved couplings 10, applied at the corners of the To brace the gate-frame further and also to prevent large or small stock passing through the same, a series of horizontal wire strands 3 are extended the full length of the gate, the rear ends of which are bent about the hingesections 6 6 and twisted, while the front ends are connected to eyes 2, formed on the adjusting-screws 2,

fitted in the front sections 6 6", the wire being also passed through the vertical braces 7 to hold them from lateral sagging, and being also further braced from such lateral movement by the interwoven vertical wire strands 4:, the crown or upper end of which is made secure to the upper rail 6, while the lower ends engage eyes 2 on tension-bolts 2.

5 indicates a twisted-strand brace extending diagonally of the gate.

By constructing a gate-body as described and shown it is obvious the same will be of great strength and yet of sufficient lightness to admit of its being freely swung on its hinge.

A steel rod 12 is secured to the hinge-post at a suitable distance above the gate, passes down through the pipe-sections 6 6 and then at right angles and again through the hinge-post, forming a hinge on which the entire weight of the gate is supported and on which the gate has a limited vertical ad justment, a collar and set-screw 13, fitting the rod 12, being provided to hold the gate to its adjusted position on such rod 12.

1% indicates a stirrup-iron secured on the front face of the hinge-post, which has an elongated loop 14, supporting the lever P, the inner end of which is connected with the inner end of an oppositely-extending lever P, supported in an eye or stirrup 16 on the abutment-post, against which the gate rests when open, such connection being efiected by means of an S-loop 15, as clearly shown in Fig. 5 To the outer end of each lever is hung a pendent handle or pull 19, the upper end being connected to the forked link 18, the end 17 of which embraces the lever and is securely bolted thereto. The levers in practice are made up of three pieces of hard yellow pine, the center piece X being in the nature of a wedge and extending but part way between the outer pieces, the whole being clamped and strengthened by cross-bolts X, as shown.

20 indicates a brace-timber connected to the upper ends of the two long posts.

Adjacent the hinge end the upper part of the gate has a triangular frame which extends out at right angles therefrom about eighteen inches and consists of the horizontally-disposed angular frame G, secured at the ends to the upper hinge-section 6 and the adjacent brace-section 7 and the inclined brace-piece H, secured to the frame G and supported on the central horizontal pipe-section 6. The lower end of such brace H has an angular apertured projection N, which forms a bearing for one end of a rock-lever O, the upper end of which has its bearing in an eyepiece S, secured to the brace H. The ends of the rock-lever O are formed into parallel projecting cranks c 0, one of which connects with the jointed and adjustable link-rod D, secured to the end of lever P, while the other, 0, is pivotally connected to the shifting latch-rod B, the outer end of which terminates in a compound latch portion, one part of which projects horizontally at an obtuse angle and then back parallel with the body, as at 0 to form a beveled strike member B to engage the keeper A on the short post, while the other part, which is the parallel portion b terminates ina beveled strike portion 13 adapted to engage the keeper A on the high post, such beveled portions 13 B being of such relative construction that as they engage the bails A A and pass them they will slip back of them (see Figs. 2 and 3) and hold the gate locked to either position until it is released by the manipulation of the levers P P. The link-rod or pitman D is formed of two straight rods, whose inner ends are held parallel by a clamp composed of two metal plates and a thumb-screw. This construction obviously adapts the pitman D to be adjusted in length to connect the lever P with the arm of rock-lever G in such manner as to operate the latch and gate in the required manner.

To guide the latch-bar, its parallel ends are passed through an apertured metal guide L, secured to the T-coupling 8, and, further, such bar is passed through a staple secured to one of the T-couplings 9.

F indicates an adj usting-bolt, which passes through one side of the apex portion of the an gle-frame G, the purpose of which is to limit the normal forward thrust of the latch, such bolt having jam-nuts f f, whereby to maintain it in its proper adjustments.

By providing an adjusting means as described (bolt F) it is obvious that should the closing-post be moved in either direction in use the outward movement of the latch can be quickly adjusted, so as to make it operate uniformly and positively. Furthermore, as the apex of the frame G forms a clearly-defined seat in which the crank c of rock-lever 0 plays with the part g as an abutment therefor at one side and the bolt F the abutment at the other side, the latch will have a definite movement when the gate is thrown open, and when pressure on the levers P is released it will, owing to the levers assuming their normal position by gravity, slide outward immediately after the latch has been moved into engagement with the said keepers A A, thereby relieving the latch of any undue shock or impact force which might tend to break or bend the same. The sectional pitman-rod D has a clamp E, formed of two pieces joined by the bolt passing through the center thereof.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought the complete operation and the advantages of my improvement will be readily understood. It will be observed that the latch is normally forced out and held locked. To open the gate, the operator pulls down on the outer end of either lever P or P, and thereby raises the inner end of the lever P, whereby two results follow: first, traction isapplied by pitman D to rock lever C, which in turn slides the latch out of engagement with the keeper A and swings the gate open part way, and, second, the momentum of the gate acquired in such initial movement suffices to carry it farther back to the completely-open position, when, the lever P or P being released, the latch engages keeper A on post 3, thus holding the gate in open position. To close the gate, the outer end of lever P or P is pulled down, as before. The inner end of lever P works in a guide or keeper 14c and is normally held down by a weight K, which is secured by a bolt 7t. It is obvious the latter also counterbalances lever P, owing to its connection at 15 with lever P.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with the swinging gate and the opening and closing abutment-posts, the gate being adapted to strike against such posts when swung to a closed or open posi- IIO tion; of a lock-keeper secured to each abutment-post, a slide-latch automatically held to slide to its locking position, and having separate beveled keeper-engaging faces, substantially as shown and for the purposes described.

2. The combination with the gate, of the posts against which the free end of gate rests when open or closed, each post having a latchkeeper, of the latch B, longitudinally movable on the gate and means for normally forcing it outward; said latch having separate keeper-engaging portions B B constructed substantially as shown and for the purposes described.

3'. The combination of the gate; the sliding latch, the latch-shifting devices mounted on the gate, the levers, connected with the said devices, a fixed stop for limiting the movement of the latch-operating devices in one direction and an adjustable stop for limiting the movement of such devices in a reverse direction, as specified.

4:. In a gate as described the combination of the following elements: the swinging gate; the slide-latch; the triangular frame forming part of the gate; the double-crank rock-shaft 0, connected to the slide-latch; the adjustable stop-bolt E; the hinge-post and the latchposts; the keeper members 14 le the levers P P, said levers being connected to move together and the pitman D, all being arranged substantially as shown and for the purposes described.

CHARLES RICE. Witnesses:

GRANT SHULTZ, EDWARD A. POTTER. 

